Page 71 of Hoax and Kisses
Matt was going to kiss me, and I don’t know what to do with that. Or with the fact that he didn’t run away when I trauma dumped on him while we were surrounded by the entire town. This whole night has gotten away from me, and now I’m about to bid on my fake boyfriend during a fake date to win a fake romantic dinner with him. Yep. Just your average, run-of-the-mill Saturday evening.
I’m not even sure why I’m doing this anymore. For the hotel, my career, my father, yeah, yeah, I know. But tonight, it felt like I was doing it for another reason too. One I can’t quite explain to myself.
My thoughts are interrupted when Cooper jumps on stage, and the music in the room dies down.
“Well, folks, here we are,” he says, grinning. “The most highly anticipated moment of the night. That’s right! The bachelor auction.”
All around me, people clap and shout.
Carl whistles with two fingers and his wife lightly swats him on the arm.
“I know, I know.” Cooper lifts both arms, palms down, motioning for the crowd to settle. “We’re all excited to see the most eligible men in all Pine Falls—me included—shake what nature gave them on the stage. But first, a reminder that all proceeds will help Carl finance a week-long excursion in the Great Bear Rainforest for the freshman class. So don’t be shy. Show these guys how much they’re worth, yeah?”
“Show us the men!” a woman shouts from a few rows behind me, followed by a “Yeah!” and a round of catcalls sprinkled with laughter.
A few seats down, I spot Rosie. She smiles in my direction—small and tentative, but it’s there—and something in me twists in relief. I wave, then focus on the stage, unable to keep my own lips from curling up. I’m starting to find allies in this town, allies that sometimes feel more like friends.
The thought warms a part of me that’s been out in the cold for far too long.
None of my “friends” from home have checked up on me since I’ve been here. Not that I expected them to, since we haven’t hung out in months. I’ve been too busy to join them on trips and birthday weekends, and invitations are getting scarce these days. It doesn’t help that Jake has slithered his way into my friend group by dating my ex–best friend. They made their choice, and I’ve been pushed out.
“All right, all right.” Laughing, Cooper glances behind him. “Our first bachelor up for auction tonight is Austin. Austin, come on out.”
A man in his early twenties steps onto the stage, flashing his dimples to the crowd.
“As you all know, Austin is a firefighter,” Cooper says, clapping the man’s shoulder. “He’s offering one lucky winner a picnic date, followed by a movie. We’re starting the bids at fifty dollars.”
Music blasts from the speakers as a handful of paddles lift. When the bidding is done, the date goes to a young woman in the back of the room for a hundred and fifty.
“Next up, we’ve got everybody’s favorite florist. Matt, step on the stage, please.”
Matt comes into view, and my heart stutters and races all at once. The minute his gaze finds mine, his resting bitch face—resting grump face?—morphs into the most adorable golden retriever expression I’ve ever seen. He walks to Cooper, a little bounce in his steps, as he keeps his bright eyes on me, wearing a goofy but genuine smile that sends my heart pumping even more.
Just as I get my pulse under control, the music plays once more, and Matt starts to move.
He works the crowd, all effortless swagger, pulling at his suspenders with his thumbs, swaying his hips in a way that makes my insides coil tight and brings hot flashes of memories to the forefront of my mind.
My thigh muscles tense instinctively. My body betrays me, my breaths growing choppy as I shift in my seat, desperate to relieve the pressure building inside me. While people cheer and whistle, I’m over here, unraveling in slow motion.
I hate how much he affects me.
“All right, Matt,” Cooper says, his tone playful. “Afterthatperformance, I’m expecting a bidding war any minute now. Matt is offering a romantic dinner and a bouquet. Bids start at seventy dollars.”
I lift my paddle so fast. “Eighty.”
Grinning, Cooper points to someone behind me. “One hundred.”
I frown and turn.
Patty flashes me a smug smile. Oh, so I’m making enemies as well as friends. It wasn’t on the to-do list, but if that’s how she wants to go about it, then I can play this game all night.
“One-fifty,” I say, holding my paddle high.
“One-sixty,” Patty adds before I’m even done speaking.
“Looks like I was right. Let the bidding war commence,” Cooper says with a smirk. “How do you feel about that?” He points the mic in Matt’s direction.
Matt ducks, his expression wicked. “May the best woman win.”
